16 new SUVs for 2016

The New Year is just around the corner and by now you must have started planning your road trips on the calendar. What would be better than an SUV that can munch the broken Indian roads and drive you to the destination comfortably? We compile a list of 16 SUVs that will be launched in the next calendar year so that you know what you are going to be driving soon.

1.       Honda BR-V                       

The Honda BR-V will be the first 7-seater SUV to be offered in the Indian sub-continent. Based on the Honda Mobilio, it gets a high bonnet and aggressive bumper design like an SUV. It is powered by the 1.5-litre iVtec petrol engine and the 1.5-litre iDtec ‘Earth Dreams’ engines. The BR-V will fight it out with the Creta, Duster/Terrano and the S-Cross.

2.       Tata Hexa                          

The Hexa MPV is Tata’s modern take on the Aria toeing the ‘HorizonNext’ ideology. The 7-seater people mover is expected to get Tata’s new 156hp Varicor 400 engine mated to a six-speed gearbox and optional four-wheel-drive. The Hexa will compete with the Toyota Innova and the Mahindra XUV500.

3.       Mahindra KUV100          

Mahindra’s latest mini SUV is slated to launch early next year. Christened the KUV100 for its compact dimensions and monocoque construction, the Mahindra will target big hatchbacks like the Maruti Baleno, Hyundai Elite i20 and the Honda Jazz.

4.       Renault Duster facelift  

Renault’s bestseller, the Duster, will get its first makeover next year. Though not much is expected to change under the hood, the new car gets a redesigned grille, bumpers and lamps. We expect the interiors to better the outgoing car to match the price tag.

5.       Toyota New Innova

The new Innova has been launched in Indonesia last month and is expected to make it to India soon. The Innova has been restyled to look SUVish and finally gets a new engine and gearbox after a decade. The new 2.2-litre engine should be refined and efficient while being as reliable as ever.

6.       Ford Endeavour               

The all new Ford Endeavour to be launched early in 2016 will compete with the Fortuners and Pajeros. The big, burly 7-seater American SUV will have two diesel engine options - the 2.2-litre 148bhp and 3.2-litre 197bhp DuraTorq engines, and an optional four-wheel-drive.

7.       Maruti YBA                          

The YBA is a compact crossover SUV, bigger than your regular hatchbacks and is expected to be powered by the Swift’s 1.2-litre VVT petrol engine and the 1.3-litre Multijet diesel. It will be positioned below the S-Cross and compete with the Ford EcoSport.

8.       Jeep Wrangler                    

Well, it’s a Jeep and we all know what it means - a rugged luxury off-roader. Expected to be priced at about Rs 25 lakh, the Jeep Wrangler will be available with an array of accessories and modifications to tackle the weekend obstacle course.

9.       Jeep Grand Cherokee   

The Grand Cherokee is a mid-size luxury SUV that will look to compete with the BMW X3 and the Audi Q5. The five-seater SUV is spacious and rugged when compared to the Germans. It will be available with both petrol and diesel engine options with automatic transmission and four-wheel drive as standard.

10.      Mercedes GLS                    

The Mercedes GLS-Class will replace the Mercedes GL-Class in India and is a facelift. The large luxury 7-seater will be powered by the same 3.0-litre 260bhp turbocharged V6 diesel engine. It competes with the BMW X5 (7-seater), the Audi Q7 and the Volvo XC90.

11.      Mercedes GLE Coupe  

The GLE-Coupe is a BMW X6 rival – an SUV with a coupe roofline. For the ones who manage to like it, they can  get an AMG body kit, alloy wheels and most probably a 333bhp petrol V6 engine along with the standard diesel V6.

12.      Datsun Go Cross              

Everyone is building a crossover and here is another Datsun. Based on the Go Plus, the Go Cross is a compact SUV and will compete with the Ford EcoSport and the upcoming Maruti YBA. It will be interesting to see if they offer a diesel option along with the standard 1.2-litre petrol engine.

13.      Mercedes GLE63 AMG

Mercedes has already launched the ML-replacement, the GLE, this year and soon we will get the power-packed GLE 63 AMG. The GLE63 powertrain is a bi-turbo 5.5-litre V8 petrol engine churning out about 550 horsepower and over 700Nm of torque.

14.      New Gen Pajero             

Mitsubishi will get the next generation of their iconic Pajero to India in the latter half of 2016. The futuristic looking Pajero, powered by the 2.4-litre MIVEC turbo-diesel engine will compete with the Toyota Fortuner, Hyundai SantaFe and the Chevrolet Trailblazer.

15.      Mahindra Canto

The Mahindra Quanto replacement will be called the Canto and is expected to be launched mid-2016 if not earlier. The Canto is more of a cosmetic upgrade and will have the same three-pot diesel engine and a body on frame construction.

16.      Hyundai Tucson

Hyundai has a winner on its hands in the Creta and will look to consolidate its MPV/SUV market. Though we don’t see anything coming in the Maruti Ertiga/ Honda Mobilio competition, Hyundai might surprise us with the Tucson to sit between the Creta and the SantaFe.